Edward “Ward” Gill, the architect of the San Diego Symphony’s success over the past decade, will be leaving the orchestra when his contract expires at the end of September, 2014.

“I’ve really completed what I consider the 10-year-plan I set up when I first got here,” said Gill, the orchestra’s chief executive officer. “I’ve checked all the boxes.”

Gill, 62, will leave nearly a year after he oversaw the ensemble’s sold out appearance in New York’s Carnegie Hall, its first performance in the storied classical music venue, followed by its first international tour to China.

“I honestly believe that with the success and where we are today with this organization, so much credit needs to be given to Ward,” said Evelyn Olson Lamden, chair of the symphony’s board of directors. “On the management and operational side, his sound fiscal thinking has kept us in a place where we are stable financially while other orchestras around the county have struggled.

“And on the artistic side, he has such a great relationship with our maestro and an understanding of the importance of our ‘product,’ if you will.”

Previously vice-president and chief operating officer of the Minnesota Orchestra, Gill took over the symphony’s executive leadership in October, 2003, soon after Joan and Irwin Jacobs gave the orchestra $120 million in grants and bequests and conductor Jahja Ling was hired as music director.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to help build a great orchestra for the 21st century,” Gill said when he first came to San Diego.

Up until the Jacobs’ gift and Gill’s arrival, the orchestra had a history of recurring administrative and financial problems which resulted in issues with its musicians union and the institution filing for liquidation bankruptcy in the ‘90s.

Under Gill’s leadership, the organization successfully negotiated multiyear contracts with the musicians and balanced its budget every season.

Gill’s checklist also included doubling the orchestra’s budget (to approximately $21 million), renovating Copley Symphony Hall and ultimately recognizing the Jacobs gift by renaming the orchestra’s complex Joan and Irwin Jacobs Music Center.

The musicians and staff were informed of Gill’s plans Monday and the symphony board has already formed a search committee. It will be headed by longtime patron and board member, Warren Kessler, who also chaired the search committees that hired Gill and Jahja Ling.

Gill, who earned $346,000 in 2012, said he has no plans other than take some time and decide what he “really wants to do.” His wife is still based in Minneapolis (where he studied business at the University of Minnesota); he has one daughter attending Cambridge and another who recently graduated from the Naval Academy and is stationed in Coronado.

“I don’t know if it was an epiphany or whatever,” Gill said, “but I realized if I don’t do it now, I’ll just continue pushing 24/7 at this job (forever).”